Disaster Officials Approve More than $5.3 Million in Four Weeks
Release Date: April 4, 2008
Release Number: 1747-011
» More Information on Illinois Severe Storms and Flooding
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Federal officials have approved more than $5.3 million in disaster assistance grants and loans in the first four weeks after President Bush issued a disaster declaration for two Illinois counties.
"The federal, state and local officials have been working together to meet the needs of area residents," said Federal Coordinating Officer Larry Sommers of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "But, we're not done yet. We will continue to work hard to meet the needs of those who were affected."
Iroquois and Livingston county residents who had damage from the severe storms and flooding Jan. 7 through March 4 could be eligible for disaster assistance, but they need to apply by the May 6 deadline to be considered.
Disaster recovery efforts through April 4 include:
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Exactly 1,186 individuals (homeowners, renters and business owners) already have applied for assistance - 707 from Iroquois County and 479 from Livingston.
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Approximately $3.2 million ($3,222,574) in grants has been approved in housing assistance for 700 applicants to be used for temporary disaster housing or to help make disaster-damaged, uninsured homes safe, sanitary and functional.
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A total of $580,028 in Other Needs Assistance (ONA) already is approved for 298 applicants to replace personal property and to help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs.
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More than 159 home and business owners have returned their U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) application packets for low-interest loans. So far, the SBA has approved $1,541,400 for 39 low-interest loans.
The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is May 6. To register, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired. Both lines are available daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CST). Applicants also may register on line at www.fema.gov.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 04-Apr-2008 14:39:15